title: Changes in the upper airway after counterclockwise maxillomandibular advancement in young Korean women with class II malocclusion deformity.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the change in the upper airway in a Class II malocclusion deformity after counterclockwise maxillomandibular advancement.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventeen young Korean women with a Class II malocclusion deformity who had undergone Le Fort I and bilateral mandibular ramus sagittal split osteotomy in a counterclockwise rotation were enrolled in the present study. The upper airway was measured at 3 different levels (uvula tip, low C2, and mid C3) using lateral cephalograms at 3 points: preoperatively (T0) and 2 (T2) and 12 (T12) months postoperatively. The changes in the upper airway were then compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mandible advanced an average of 7.0 ± 3.8 mm. The upper airway had widened considerably at all 3 levels at T2 and had decreased slightly at T12, especially at the low C2 level compared with T0. However, the upper airway at T12 remained wider than at T0 at all 3 levels. The mandibular advancement and upper airway width correlated only at T12 at the mid C3 level.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The upper airway became wider in patients with a Class II malocclusion deformity who had undergone mandibular advancement. However, this might become narrower with time.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dentistry, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: Jae-Seung
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jin Kook
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Seok-Chan
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Jae Hoon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Cho
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D059925:Anatomic Landmarks / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D002508:Cephalometry / Q000379:methods; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D063172:Genioplasty; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D008312:Malocclusion, Angle Class II / Q000601:surgery*; D008334:Mandible / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D019186:Mandibular Advancement / Q000379:methods*; D008437:Maxilla / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D063166:Maxillary Osteotomy / Q000379:methods*; D009295:Nasal Bone / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D056948:Orthognathic Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D019340:Osteotomy, Le Fort / Q000379:methods; D059229:Osteotomy, Sagittal Split Ramus / Q000379:methods; D010614:Pharynx / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D011859:Radiography; D056910:Republic of Korea; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012399:Rotation; D012658:Sella Turcica / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014609:Uvula / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D055815:Young Adult